CHARADJilAD^E, 275 



Sea-cow Bird, Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 371. 

 Charadrius tricollaris, Finsch & Hartlaub's Vogel Ost-Afrika's, 



p. 655. 

 jEgialitis tricollaris, Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 10002. 



This species is pretty commonly dispersed over 

 Damara and Great Namaqua Land, both on the coast 

 and at inland waters. 



It is generally seen in small flocks, and exhibits com- 

 paratively little fear of man. It feeds chiefly on small 

 insects, and also, at the inland rills in Damara Land, on 

 a species of aquatic worm. Its flesh is palatable. 



In the egg of this Plover the ground-colour is almost 

 hidden by a profusion of thickly clustering spots and 

 fine eccentric lines of grey-brown and sepia-brown; in 

 some instances these markings are arranged in a ring 

 round the thicker end of the egg. 



The irides are very dark brown ; the legs are straw- 

 yellow with a tinge of blue throughout, deepest at the 

 joints; the upper mandible is bluish black, and the 

 lower also, except near the base, where it is pale salmon- 

 colour ; the fringe round the eyes is bright brick-red. 



Measurements of a female : 



in. lin. 



Entire length 70 



Length of folded wing 44 



tarsus 10 



middle toe 08 



tail 28 



bill 08 



[I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Layard for the infor- 

 mation that this Plover is the bird alluded to by Mr. Chapman 

 (loc. tit.}, under the name of " Sea-cow Bird/' as being found in 

 apparent attendance on the Hippopotamus. 



I believe that this species has. not been figured. ED.] 



T2 



